Community gathers for 21st annual Poor Man's Community Breakfast

Volunteer Rob Stewart takes a break to watch a video of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Poor Man's Community Breakfast on Monday at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Stewart teaches classes to prepare students to take the GED in addition to being the pastor at two churches.
|Quint Smith

Jacqueline Harris, head cook for the Poor Man's Community Breakfast, removes a tray of sausage patties from the oven Monday at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Harris is the assistant coordinator of the Moving Ahead Program where she regularly cooks for large groups.
|Quint Smith

Guests fill the dining room during the Poor Man's Community Breakfast on Monday at St. Luke United Methodist Church. The year's event was organized by five volunteers who spread out the workload that Almeta Crayton had handled for almost 20 consecutive years.
|Quint Smith

The Poor Man's Community Breakfast on Monday was organized by five volunteers who spread out the workload that Almeta Crayton had handled for almost 20 consecutive years.¦Quint Smith

The breakfast took place at St. Luke United Methodist Church on Ash Street. The fellowship hall was crowded, and it was hard to walk through without bumping into hugging friends.

Bobby Bell and Eugene Robinson sat at one of the ten tables, enjoying a spread of bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy. It was the first time for both men to attend the breakfast, which they heard about through their men's group, Noble Spirits.

"I didn't need to get up to cook this morning since I knew I was gonna eat here," Bell said, biting into a strip of bacon.

Crayton's brother Anthony Crayton, who lives in St. Louis, was posted near the entrance, welcoming guests with handshakes and smiles. This was Crayton's first time being involved in the breakfast, but he said he thought it was going well.

"Almeta always told me over the phone that there was always a nice turnout," Crayton said.

The breakfast was entirely free to guests but donations were accepted to support Almeta Crayton's community programs. Leftovers from the breakfast were being delivered to shelters in the area.

Volunteers from a variety of organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Noble Spirits, helped staff the event.

Raven Wright, MU senior and member of Delta Sigma Theta, was stationed at the pastries.

"This is my first year volunteering, since I'm new in the sorority," Wright said. "People look so happy to be here, and I'm happy to be helping. It's such a great event for the community."